


Dark in my imagination

by mellodramatica



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Amortentia, BoyxBoy, Drarry, Gay, Hogwarts, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 16:45:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8998825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mellodramatica/pseuds/mellodramatica
Summary: A certain test of twins involving two arch nemeses and a love potion is bound to heat things up for a day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 'Cause even though they try to deny it, everybody else knows how these two nemeses secretly feel about the other, whom they so desperately try to hate.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to thank my awesome proofreaders; Ian, Sonya and especially Suzanne, who provided me with some live-commentary and gave me a few hearty laughs. Second, I'd like to thank the band of Verona, for creating the song that inspired me to write all this and that I listened to through every second; Dark In My Imagination. I'd also like to thank my coffee machine and my watercooker. Lastly, I'd like to thank J.K. Rowling, for giving all of us a load of beautiful characters to challenge our writing with.

_Copyright for the characters © J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter names, characters and related indicia are copyright and trademark Warner Bros. None of the characters I have written about in this artistic expression are owned by me._

* * *

 

 

It was morning, and Draco made his way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Crabbe and Goyle were probably already there - they weren’t in their beds, anyway. Slightly sleepily, he rubbed his eyes as he sat down at the Slytherin table, nodding at the people who eagerly wished him a good morning. Crabbe and Goyle did so too, with their mouths stuffed, and Draco softly gave his “‘Morning,” in reply. His hair was crappy today, and he ran his hand through it slowly as he looked at the foods available on the breakfast table. Of course, it was all just the same. He poured himself some pumpkin juice and put a croissant and a few pancakes on his plate. The pancakes were quite far away, however, so he leaned over to grab them just as Pansy Parkinson lifted the plate to hand it to him.

“Thanks,” He said, purely out of politeness, and sat back down. When his plate was reasonably full, he took a few sips of his pumpkin juice, and noticed Crabbe and Goyle intently look at him from the corners of their eyes - their jaws were moving way slower than they usually did when the two ate. “What’s the deal with you two?” Draco said, and they quickly shook their heads and looked at each other. And then, as the juice made its way into his stomach, he felt it.

As if it was a matter of life and death, he turned his head to look at the Gryffindor table. Surely, there he was sat.. Lovely, wonderful  _ Potter,  _ with his scar and his broomstick.

Crabbe and Goyle sniffled next to him, and he didn’t even notice.

“Uh, Harry.. Malfoy’s looking at you, mate.” Ron’s voice came from Harry’s left.

Hermione looked up from her book the same moment Harry looked up from his food, a frown on her face and confusion on his. “Well, that’s not uncommon..” Harry searched the Slytherin table and caught Draco’s eye, but the latter looked away quickly. Harry frowned and started eating again. “He was probably telling his friends how stupid I am or something.”

“No, Harry.. He doesn’t look as if he’s joking. He looks as if he’s obsessed.” Said Hermione, now looking really weirded out. “More like checking you out,” Ron added. “Don’t look, I wanna see what he does.” 

Harry looked anyway, and there the blonde was again, a few Slytherins around him looking as if he’d gone mad. Suddenly, Draco stood up, and still intently looking at Harry, he nodded for him to follow as he sternly walked out of the Great Hall. Already half standing, Harry looked over at the Slytherin table again, and Hermione grabbed him by the robe. “Harry! I don’t know what Malfoy is up to, but he might duel you!” Ron looked up at him too, unsure what to say, so he nodded in agreement with Hermione.

“I think I can handle it if he does..” Harry replied, seeing that all of the Slytherins were now looking from the door to Harry as if it was some spectacle - which it was - except Crabbe and Goyle, who looked as if they couldn’t suppress their laughing. He chose to ignore it and quickly followed, now feeling as if all eyes were on him. 

“By the way,” Ron said, watching Harry as he left, “Has anyone seen Fred and George?”

Finally exiting the Great Hall, Harry looked around. The corridor was seemingly empty. Had Malfoy walked away? Was he walking straight into a trap? He took a few slow steps into the right wing of the corridor - and was grabbed by the hand and pulled into a dark niche, right up to the pale face of Draco Malfoy. Harry tried to tear himself loose, but Draco’s grip was too tight.

“Potter - Harry..” Draco whispered, and Harry looked up at him in confusion and anger. 

“What’s your beef, Malfoy?” He hissed, his hand above the pocket his wand was in. 

“Beef? What are you talking about, Harry..” The voice Draco spoke in was one Harry had never heard before; usually, he nagged, bragged and sneered, but now his voice was.. Loving? “Your eyes are like dark pinewood.. I never noticed..” The blonde added, and Harry was awestruck. This  _ had _ to be a joke.

“ _ Cut it,  _ Malfoy - what are you up to?”

“Up to? What’s the stress, Harry?” And looking up at him, just a slight bit taller than himself, Harry noticed that Draco’s grey eyes and silvery hair stood out in the darkness. “I’ve never seen you from this close, but you’re still beautiful.” Draco ended his sentence.

Harry tried to ignore his now tomato-like cheeks. “And since when do you call me Harry?”

“Since the name rolls off my tongue like fine wine,  _ Harry... _ ” Draco spoke softly, his other hand suddenly wrapping around Harry’s waist. The latter gasped and pulled him away with astonishing force, but still having grip on his hand, Draco kept him there. Harry looked at him.

“Why the rush in getting away?” Draco slightly pouted, raising Harry’s hand to his lips and softly kissing it. Harry pulled it away as hard as he could - a remote feeling in his chest opposed , and was glad when he failed. “Well,” The blonde sighed, “I guess my prince has got his duties. I’ll see you at potions..” And contrary to Harry’s expectations, he was pulled in close once more, “Where I’ll have some poems you won’t forget..  _ Mark my words. _ ” Draco smiled as he whispered the last three words, his breath evaporating on Harry’s face. The smile wasn’t an evil smirk. It was  _ seductive _ . Draco elegantly let go of Harry’s hand, and Harry eagerly pulled it back to his side, breathing somewhat heavily. He had no idea what to say, so after another second, he turned and spurted away. The Great Hall was just clearing out, and he almost walked into Ron and Hermione, who looked up eagerly.

“Hey -” Hermione started, and was finished off by Ron’s  _ “What did he do!?” _

Luckily, they had a free hour just after breakfast. “In the common room,” Harry whispered. “I don’t want to discuss it here.” Just as he said that, a bunch of Slytherins came out, looking at Harry as if he was a piece of trash - but an interesting one. The three rushed to the Gryffindor common room, Ron and Hermione glancing at each other as they noticed Harry’s haste, and his red cheeks.

“So, will you tell us what he’s done to you now?” Ron whispered as the three of them sat down around one of the tables. Harry leaned closer to the two of them.

“It’s - it’s really embarrassing, actually..” He started.

“Did he hex you?” Hermione asked, quite clearly stressed about this. 

“No, Hermione -”

“Well, tell us then!” Ron hissed.

“ _ I am trying to! _ ” Harry hissed back, and returning to a normal whisper, he spoke. “I walked out of the door and turned right, and I was pulled into a niche, and there he was, and he was - I honestly think it’s one big prank, but he  _ flirted  _ with me - and he wouldn’t stop! And it wasn’t even like he looked as if he was lying, he just seemed  _ obsessed _ !” 

Hermione gasped. “Obsessed..” 

“Yeah?” Said Ron, “Is the answer in the library - the one in your head?” 

“Yes! Harry, he’s - Malfoy is under the influence of amortentia! Oh, I had my suspicions from the moment I saw that look on his face..” Hermione laid her head in her hands and looked right in front of her without hope.

Ron couldn’t suppress a grin. “This is  _ not funny - _ serious mistakes could be made!” Hermione hissed, seeing his face. “The antidote takes weeks to brew, too, so it’s no use, since this’ll probably pass in a day, but  _ still _ !” 

All the time, Ron was still softly laughing. Harry frowned at him. “What  _ is  _ so funny about this?”

“Don’t you see, Harry? Oh, it’s all coming clear to me now..” He stopped laughing and leaned in conspiratorially. “Well, I’d like to see what happens.. A day of Malfoy on amortentia and Harry secretly liking it..”

Harry’s breath stopped somewhere in his windpipe. “ _ Liking it? _ ” He choked out.

Hermione threw Ron an angry look, one that also clearly said ‘ _ Don’t tell him!’ _

That morning, Ron and Hermione argued between staying with Harry 24/7 and leaving him alone all day - you could guess who was on what side. At some point, not far from their potions class, Harry asked them if they couldn’t  _ please _ let him decide for himself, and they ceased their quarrel after that. Soon, the bell rang for their second hour and the trio made their way to the dungeons, Harry bearing a strange feeling in his stomach.

Draco was leaning against the wall, alone, just a few feet from the cluster of students, and before Harry had even seen him, he was grabbed by the shoulder. His heart jumped into his throat, and he wheeled around. Hermione turned and opened her mouth to speak, but Ron sternly walked on. Hermione turned her head from Harry and Draco to Ron really rapidly, almost like a comic character, then sighed and followed Ron. But she kept a close eye on Harry. Draco looked at him. “Missed me, my lover? I’ve surely missed you..” He smiled, baring his straight, white teeth. Harry frowned deeply, but stayed where he stood even though he wasn’t held there this time. “No, Malfoy.” He said, somewhere between pity and surprise. Draco was still like this, in front of all his people, which Harry hoped meant it wasn’t just a joke in which he was the punchline. 

Snape came around the corner like an oversized bat, and Harry quickly took a step back from Draco. “Potter, Malfoy, I can only  _ hope  _ you aren’t running amok..” He said in quite an uninterested manner, and opened the door for the students to come in. Draco took a seat somewhere in the middle and Harry was just rejoining Ron and Hermione when the blonde beckoned him. To sit  _ next to Malfoy  _ during potions? Snape wasn’t really paying attention; he was taking out papers and organising them. The whole class was silent nevertheless. Harry looked at Ron, who waved his hand as to say  _ ‘Don’t worry, mate’ _ . Hermione eyed him nervously, but there wasn’t much she could bring against it. 

Just as Harry sat down next to Draco, Snape arose and let his gaze slide over the classroom. He looked at the combination of Harry and Draco and cleared his throat, and all the heads in the class turned, a soft whisper erupting from their mouths. But after a moment, Snape decided he would pay no heed. 

“If you could please shut your mouth and turn to page 65.. Thank you.” He monotonically said. Harry sat as far away from Draco as he could muster without looking too rude. After all, this wasn’t Draco’s fault, and he wasn’t himself at that moment.

They were instructed to brew the Draught of Peace, and even though Harry tried to seem as if he was fully concentrated on his ingredients, he couldn’t ignore the fact that Draco looked at him even through his work -  and he even seemed to be doing it well. He was also scooting closer to him every second or so. Snape was bound to notice this, but he didn’t. After a while, Harry looked over at Draco and sighed. Draco took his chance and leaned closer.

“If you need help, I’ll be ever so willing to grant you it..” He whispered, just soft enough so only Harry would be able to hear it over the soft simmering of the potions in the room.

“Eh -” Harry uttered, about to block and say he was doing just fine, when he looked at the difference between his and Draco’s cauldron. The substance in Draco’s was a calm light grey, while his own was more like overcooked milk. “Is this even fixable..?” He whispered.

“Of course, my dear.” Draco replied, and Harry flinched, though his cheeks turned slightly red. “See, you have to squash the roots with the side of your knife, that gives you way more sap.” 

Harry looked over at Snape, who was now inspecting the cauldrons of the students on the other side of the classroom, and he would surely soon see Harry’s mess. He decided to do what Draco had told him, and to his great surprise, the liquid mingled with the white stew and made it clearer immediately. He looked back at Draco, who had been looking as well, and ever so slightly smiled at him. “Thank you..!” He whispered.

“Anything for that smile..” Draco replied. “Now, if you will, dear, it’s better to stir clockwise twice, then once counterclockwise. The book is a little outdated, I think..” 

Harry tried it again, and to his awe, the potion in his cauldron now greatly resembled Draco’s. A shadow then fell over him, and Snape cleared his throat. “I don’t know why you’re sitting next to Malfoy, Potter, but upon looking at your potion, it seems to me that you are copying your neighbor.”

Harry was about to give his snappy reply, but Draco was faster. “Professor, I can assure you Harry has done this all by himself.” He calmly said, and smiled at Snape. The latter frowned and looked from Draco to Harry. After a long silence, in which all of their classmates stared at them, he said; “Fine. But should you ever copy Malfoy, you  _ will  _ see to the consequences.” 

Harry nodded, knowing he would probably never even sit next to Malfoy again, and Snape walked on.

“Hey.. Thanks.” Harry whispered to Draco when they were in safe distance. Draco looked at him and winked. “You don’t have to thank me, love - though I know a few other ways in which you could, if you really insist..”

Harry unwillingly flushed. He didn’t answer, but he accidentally dropped his masher. How much  _ did _ Ron and Hermione know? Had they known even more than he himself? Was he actually  _ enjoying  _ this? Well, it would be over in a day, so he could not start liking it too much; tomorrow, Malfoy would be back to his own pestering self, maybe even worse. This wasn’t his true self, and Harry had to remind himself of that.

_ So shouldn’t you make the most out of it, then?  _ A little voice in the back of his head spoke. Their classmates had gone back to work again, and there was half an hour of the lesson left. Harry threw a glance at Ron and Hermione, and they looked back at him, Hermione a little less worried now that she had proof nothing bad was going on.. Yet.

Harry’s hand, which had been resting on the bench, was suddenly met with the soft warmth, the skin of another hand.  _ Draco’s. _ His heart staggered, and he turned his head back to Draco. Could he let go? Did he  _ want  _ to? His mind was running wild;  _ This isn’t the real Malfoy, he will use this against you tomorrow, he will make things even worse, will he even remember it, though? What if someone sees? Is Snape near? No, he’s nagging at Neville. Don’t do it. Harry James Potter, are you attached to a MALFOY?  _ But over it all, his heart shouted;  _ DON’T PULL AWAY! _

Draco’s fingers now wrapped themselves around the back of Harry’s hand and he smiled at him, and suddenly Harry remembered the blonde saying he’d have poetry ready for him.  _ Lord, _ he thought,  _... As long as he doesn’t read it aloud _ . 

But he needed both his hands to finish the potion, so he quickly pulled away quite suddenly, as if he’d come to his senses. And when his mind wasn’t polluted by the scent of rosemary with a hint of mint -  _ Draco’s scent -  _ he mentally slapped himself across the face for letting that happen. However, half of his mind was marvelling about it, and he only realized so when he noticed a feeling, so much like nervosity, deep in his stomach.

Nearing the end of the lesson, when everyone started packing their bags, Harry took his own and stuffed his materials inside. Just when he wanted to close it, a pale hand stopped him. “I promised you something..” Draco smirked at him. They were both leaning down under the desk, and Draco’s face was  _ very _ close to his. Harry looked at him like a deer staring into headlights as a stack of letters was placed into his bag, and when it had been done, he quickly moved back and stood up. Slightly embarrassed, he thanked Draco for helping him with the potion when they walked out of the door. Ron and Hermione were waiting just outside.

“You can thank me in a million more ways, Harry..” Said Draco, and stopping the both of them dead in their tracks, he laid his index finger underneath Harry’s chin. For a moment, Harry was too shocked to do anything - then, he quickly pulled away, before Draco could make any wrong moves, and rushed out of the classroom. Wrong moves,  _ but oh how right they could have been _ .

He met Ron and Hermione in the corridor, and they quickly walked up to him. “What happened? Malfoy looked pretty intimate with you - and did he actually give you instructions?” Ron rattled, and Hermione nodded fiercely. “That was so strange to look at.. Malfoy, actually being  _ nice _ for once! But it’s not the real him, so don’t get too used to it, Harry..” 

“I don’t know..” Harry rubbed his forehead and sighed. “It was confusing. He helped me out because my Draught looked like a disaster, and it was so much better afterwards - and he was so flirtatious! I don’t even want to embarrass him by saying it, really..” 

“I can imagine, mate..” Ron nodded, philosophically staring into the distance as they walked to their next lesson. 

When lunchtime came around, the three made their way down to the Great Hall once again, all on the lookout for the characteristic platinum blonde hair. Harry hadn’t even gotten to reading the poems yet, but he planned on doing that just after lunch, if he ate quickly. He could go to the toilet and read them in peace. Though he wasn’t really eager -  _ cough, cough,  _ said the little voice - he was curious to see what Malfoy would write in this state of bewitchedness. He managed to hide himself during lunchtime, anyhow, and though he saw Malfoy’s searching gaze, he avoided it with the help of Ron and Hermione. They would have Care of Magical Creatures after lunch, so by any means he would see Draco then. He quickly shoved down his lunch and excused himself, and his friends gave each other a look; but Draco was still seated at Slytherin table.

Even before he reached the toilet, he swung his bag from his back and opened it. The stack of letters wasn’t at all thin, and Harry wondered if people would be able to write faster because of amortentia. He pushed open the door and hid himself in a stall, sitting down after he’d put down the toilet lid. He took the elastic off the stack and started reating the first piece of parchment from the top.

As he made his way through the letters, he noticed that it wasn’t actually bad at all, and when he touched his cheeks they were all warm again.  _ Aren’t there any spells to get rid of redness on the face? _ , he wondered as he placed the packet back in his bag. The bell rang for their fifth hour, Care of Magical Creatures, and Harry’s heart jumped. He quickly swung his bag over his back and left the toilets, meeting Ron and Hermione on the way out. They looked at his red face just a little longer than necessary, but didn’t say anything. Soon, they reached Hagrid’s little cabin, and Harry dared not to look up until he came to a halt. When he did, he looked around, and immediately spotted Draco’s blonde hair, shining so brightly in the sunlight. He gulped.

“Right, class, today we’re gonna continue with our Blast-Ended Skrewts.. Get yours out of its box and try tah feed it. I’ve got a whole bunch of foods you can try right here.” Said Hagrid, and he smiled at the three. Harry smiled back somewhat awkwardly, realising that Hagrid’s smile had led Draco’s eyes to his position. He shortly glanced at him, but then quickly went to get a Skrewt. He knew Draco was getting one too, so he tried to be as quick as he could, but to no avail. Just as he reached for one of the crates, a pale hand was placed on his. He looked up at the owner. 

“Hi there, dear.” Draco whispered. “I saw you slip away after lunch.. Did you read my poems? Did you like them?” He looked and sounded nervous, something Harry had never experienced from Draco Malfoy before. He hesitated.

“It was, uh.. They were cute, Draco. Thanks.” He replied, half truthful and half just trying not to be an ass.

“You  _ think _ ?” Draco whispered a little louder. His eyes widened in happiness. “Oh, I’m so glad!” 

“Yeah.. Well, if you don’t mind, I have to feed this Skrewt..” Harry said. Draco’s behavior had made him shy now, and he wanted to get back to the safe zone of Ron and Hermione quickly. It would also arouse certain questions if Hagrid saw them standing there, he knew, so he backed away before Draco could object.

The Skrewts, as always, were unmanageable, and the three of them had to constantly jump or duck when they exploded from their rear ends. Harry threw quick glances at Draco sometimes, and throughout the lesson the blush on his face didn’t really settle down. When the lesson came to an end, they all relievedly put the Skrewts back into their crates and walked back to the castle. Harry was just pondering which assignment he should do in his next free hour as he walked alongside Ron and Hermione, when a familiar hand placed on his shoulder turned him around. Harry looked right into the pale, titanium-colored eyes of Draco Malfoy. Gesturing for Ron and Hermione not to worry and to walk on, Harry next looked over the blonde’s shoulder. Some of the slower Slytherins and Gryffindors were throwing them strange looks again, a few of them giggling behind their hands. Harry shook his head and grabbed Draco by the wrist, quickly leading him along to the lake where they could sit alone. He had to talk to Draco, had to tell him this was a potion, even though he knew somewhere that Draco would not believe him. Draco followed very enthusiastically, probably hoping for some romantic time.

“Do you have class this hour?” Harry asked, stopping halfway.

“Class? N-no, but who cares if I did?” Draco replied, somewhat taken aback.

“I do. I don’t want angry teachers because of this.. Situation.” 

They quickly reached the side of the lake and Harry sat himself and Draco down underneath a tree, invisible from most castle windows. Draco immediately shifted closer, and Harry knew it was pointless to object.

“Draco, look. This is not real. You’re..” 

“Did you just say my name, love? What’s wrong? Are you sad? I can cheer you up!” Draco rattled. “I can read more poems, I can even sing you a song if you want me to, you can sleep in my arms, you can..”

“No, Draco. You’re under the influence of a love potion. You are not yourself right now -”

“Did you just say LOVE? Do you love me too, Harry? HA! I knew it!” And before Harry could object, before he could do anything, Draco pulled him into his arms with unimaginable force - Harry only knew what was going to happen a tenth of a second before it did - and inevitably, their lips collided.

Harry’s initial instinct was to back the hell away, but suddenly, there was something way stronger than that instinct; fire, a fire in his chest. Draco’s lips were soft and they molded to his own like a perfect match, the faint hint of rosemary hit his nose again, Harry was trapped in his arms and for some silly reason he didn’t want to break out.  _ It’s.. A potion..  _ The faint voice in the back of his head stuttered, but Harry didn’t listen. He reacted, slowly but surely, and wrapped his arms around Draco. He placed one around his waist, and the other he slowly slid into the blonde’s hair, which was ridiculously soft.  _ Oh..  _ Harry thought.  _ God. _ That moment, Draco Malfoy was everything - golden sunlight and silver moonlight, cold stone and hot fire, rosemary and mint, green and silver, red and gold. 

**_I can’t help myself, I fall,_ **

**_I can’t help myself at all._ **

As soon as they broke apart, reality hit Harry at full force; he  _ was  _ in love with Draco Malfoy. Ron and Hermione were right. Had they seen through him so well, to see things even he himself didn’t know?  _ This is a major problem you’ve brought onto yourself, Harry James Potter,  _ his mind whispered.  _ Tomorrow, this boy will wake up hating you again, and he will remember your.. Actions. The whole school will know that not only is Harry Potter gay, but he’s also hopelessly in love with his arch nemesis. _

Well, what’s been done has been done, Harry thought in return as he caught himself smiling almost proudly. He quickly wiped the smile off his face, shook his head and came back to his senses. Okay.  _ Okay.  _ He sprang up, smacked himself across the face once - but Draco still looked beautiful in his eyes, way too beautiful. 

“I’m - sorry,” He mumbled. “I have to go.” And he turned around, almost sprinting back to the castle and entering it before Draco had even stood up. Harry looked back one last time, and gulped.

It was like one of those things you can’t unsee, like a picture with an optical illusion, one that you can interpret in two different ways because it shows two different things in one, and once you saw the other, you couldn’t unsee it, it was always there. Malfoy was beautiful, and now that Harry had seen that side of him, it was all he wanted to - could - think of. He sprinted up to the Gryffindor common room, blurted out the password, crawled through the portrait hole and was happy to find Hermione working on her homework like a Trojan. She looked up when he came through all ruffled and red, and gasped.

“Harry,  _ what happened to you? _ ” She hissed as he sat down next to her.

“Calm down, Hermione, I didn’t get killed.” He panted. “Just.. Promise not to tell Ron about this just yet. And don’t ever tell him I told you this before him” 

“Right, Harry.. Is it what I think it is?”

“That depends on what you think.” 

“Did you kiss?” She whispered very softly, almost hoping it was just a bluff.

Harry slowly nodded, looking down at his knees. Hermione gasped and shoved her chair closer to his, lowering her head so she could look at his face. “And?” She whispered. “How was it?” 

“ _ How was it?  _ Hermione, he’ll remember this tomorrow, the whole school will know, and -” 

“Yes, Harry, but did you like it or hate it? Any strong feelings? This is more important than what some students think.” 

“I..” He hesitated. Hermione sounded so serious. “I liked it.” 

Hermione was silent for a moment. “Are you.. In love with him?”

“I.. Think.. So?” 

“I already feared this.. But Harry, you should know that this situation didn’t really change anything, it only made you realize it - Ron and I, we already sort of noticed you had no interest in girls and spoke way more about him than most any other person.. But I’m scared he will break your heart, Harry, and though Ron is pretty sure Malfoy likes you back -” 

“He is?” Harry interrupted, reminding himself of Draco. 

“Yes, but -” 

“Did he name any reasons?”

“Harry, I don’t want you to be convinced as well, because if Ron’s suspicions - and they’re really not too strong, I’d say - are wrong, it’ll hurt you even more.” 

“I could ask Ron -” 

“Okay, fine!” She hissed. “Well, there’s the fact that he himself never showed any interest in girls either, for starters. But that’s too easy. Look, Harry, Malfoy offered you his friendship when you two met at Hogwarts, and you declined. If you think of it, when has Malfoy ever been declined anything? He’s rich and spoiled, and probably wasn’t used to that.

So, he reacted angrily and in an irrational way, by bullying you - but not only you, Harry, but Ron and me too - have you never wondered why he targets us so much more than most other Muggleborns and Weasleys?” 

Harry stayed silent for a moment. “You’re my friends..?” 

“Exactly, Harry - theoretically and  _ completely hypothetically _ , Malfoy can’t stand the fact that you chose the mudblood and the blood traitor over him, the spoiled pureblood from the highest circles. Therefore, he hates us, and through it looks like he hates you too, he mostly holds a very great grudge against you. And why would he overreact to your decline in such a sense he still holds a grudge after all this time? Well.. You’d say it isn’t something insignificant.”

Harry nodded; it all sounded so logical, even though Hermione had stressed the fact it was mere speculation. “So hypothetically - tomorrow, Malfoy will still like me?” 

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I hope so, Harry.” 

“Right.. Thanks, Hermione.” Harry said, and he placed his head in his crossed arms, closing his eyes and letting his mind run free.

The day passed without any further heights, and at the end of it, Harry threw himself down on his bed. On one side he was glad this hectic day had passed, but on the other, he was sad about the fact that such a situation would most likely never occur again. He said goodnight to Ron, who eyed him a moment longer than necessary, and turned off the lights. He closed his eyes, exhausted as he was - and the daydreams flowed into his mind, visible on his retina like a movie. Platinum blonde hair which he was stroking, the light grey eyes like diamonds visible only inches away, nearing, closing in until their lips collided. The two of them in the darkness, merely silhouettes to a dark blue background, playing a game of cat and mouse. No disturbances, no others around, just them.. Harry rolled onto his side and sighed, feeling the butterflies in his stomach again. Finally, he fell asleep, and his dreams were haunted by silver hair in golden sunlight and gemstone eyes in pale moonlight.

The next day, Harry woke up slowly, and the events of the day before came back to him; first, seeing Draco at the Slytherin table in the morning, then the scene in the niche, the Potions lesson, the poems, then Care of Magical Creatures - and the moment afterwards. Today, it was all or nothing. The best or the worst. Either Malfoy completely ridiculed him, which was the most likely, or.. Well, he wasn’t sure what the other option would be, but he didn’t dare believe in something good.

As he shoved on his clothes, one sock inside out, Harry saw Ron was still asleep. It wasn’t time yet, so he decided to let him lay in until the others woke up. He went down the staircase, out of the portrait hole and to the Entrance Hall for breakfast. Without looking, he passed the same niche in which yesterday’s scene had occurred - and his name was called, in a voice that gave him shivers. 

“Potter.” Draco said, stepping out of the shadows. His expression was different from yesterday’s, Harry noted, so the amortentia must have stopped working, but it wasn’t his usual expression either. “About yesterday..”

“It’s fine,” Harry said with a neutral expression. “Hermione told me what happened, and I know it wasn’t your fault.”

“I think I made a complete ass of myself nevertheless.” Draco replied, looking down at his feet with kind of a grin. “No, but uh.. Potter, the thing is.. I remember everything. I’m pretty sure you do too.”

Harry gulped. “I do.” They looked at each other.

“I won’t tell anyone. Not only because I’d make a fool out of myself even more, what with me being the initiator, but also because.. I noticed something. About you,  _ and  _ about me.” Draco spoke very softly now, and he wasn’t being mean at all.

“And what was that?” Harry asked after a short silence.

Draco looked around before he replied. “You kissed me back, Potter. You weren’t influenced by amortentia, and yet you did, and you blushed so much, too. In fact, you are right now.” 

Harry felt his cheeks; surely, his hands felt like ice against them. “Your point, Malfoy?” 

“My point,  _ Potter _ , is that I want to start calling you Harry. By your given name. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to.. Repeat yesterday, not immediately and definitely not in the same manner. But.. When that potion stopped working last night, I realized that I didn’t feel disgusted by what happened after Care of Magical Creatures. It shouldn’t have happened like that, but I think I’m speaking for the both of us if I say it wasn’t that terrible at all.” 

This was a lot to process for Harry, and he had to question if he wasn’t dreaming more than once. He remembered Ron and Hermione, and what they would say if they heard about this. What they thought of Draco Malfoy, and the fact that thought was completely justified. 

“Right, Malfoy - Draco,” Harry corrected himself, and Draco looked up at him when he heard his given name. “You’re right. I can’t deny that. But if you want to be nice to me, I’m going to need you to be nice to my friends as well. They don’t deserve what you’ve called them over the years.” 

Draco nodded. “I understand. I’m.. Sorry, for all I’ve said and done.” He sounded sincere, and somewhere in Harry’s chest, a small warmth arose. He looked at him. 

“You should apologize to them, mostly.”

“I will when I get the chance.. Perhaps you could help me getting it?” 

“They should be having breakfast right now..” A smile grew on Harry’s face. He couldn’t believe it; Draco Malfoy, uninfluenced by any stupid potion and yet nicer than he ever had been. “Why not try right away?”

Draco smiled back, slightly hesitant. “I suppose an apology never hurt anyone.” He stuck out his hand while stepping out of the niche, and after a second, Harry took it. They smiled at each other, more brightly now. Then, they let go of each other’s hands and walked into the Great Hall together, straight towards the surprised faces of Ron and Hermione.

_ End. _

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, everyone. Please leave kudo's, I appreciate them a lot! And if you will, please tell me what you think in the comments.


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